Manufacture of fertilizer



Patented Nov. 22, 1932 UNITED STATES HERMAN L. HARTENSTEIN, OF CHICAGO,ILLINOIS MANUFACTURE OF FERTILIZER No Drawing.- Original applicationfiled October 18, 1926, Serial No. 142,192. Divided and this applicationfiled April 4, 1927.

This application is a division of my original application Serial Number142,192.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to produce manure orfertilizer Without extracting or separating the plant food sulphuricacid has been necessary in order to produce ammonium sulfate fromby-product peat gas, and the production of one ton of ammonium sulphaterequires approximately one ton of sulphuric acid, with the result thatthe cost of the acid is a very important item of manufacture.

The present invention further contemplates the use of muck or peat, asin many sections in its native state it contains large quantities ofcarbonic acid frequently in excess of 3%, and also contains humus ororganic matter which carries with it a large percenta e of nitrogen,usually running from 2% to 4 0, as well as hydrogen, approximately from3% to 5%, and adding thereto or mixing therewith certain forms ofmetallic or pyrophorical iron, aluminum nitride} or .the like, andtitanium compounds combined with nitrogen, either with or withoutcarbon, in the presence of nitrogen, hydrogen and acids, and digestingthe mixture with sulphur oxide gases and aging'the mass for a shortperiod of time.

Aluminum nitride can be produced with but one-half of the electricalenergy required to form calcium carbide or cyanamide, but

0 up tothe present time it has had no commercial value forfertilizerpurposes, as the soil appears to be unable to transform thenitro gen of the aluminum nitride into fixed am monia. In fact thenitride is too quickly de composed by the moist soil, most of the,ammonia liberated passes off into the air result- 'ing-in a fertilizerloss. A

The nitrides are first decomposed by the i moisture and organic matterof the peat, and

by reason of the presence of. calcium sul- Serial No. 180,997.

fate (gypsum), which is introduced before the ammonia (NH from thenitrides has evolved, the ammonia is first absorbed b the water and thenenters into direct com ination with the calcium sulfate; or the fumes ofburning or oxidized sulphur or pyrites, or sulphur mixed and burned withmoist peat may be added to the mass, in lieu of the calcium sulfate toproduce the fertilizer.

The present invention further contemplates putting in an available formthe nitrogen content of peat or muck which has heretofore beenunavailable, and adding thereto nitrogen in the form of aluminumnitride.

A further object is to provide an improved method of this characterembodying the introduction of pyrophoric iron, which is moreparticularly described and claimed in my co-pending application, SerialNo. 142,190, which has matured toPatent No. 1,819,164, dated Aug. 18,1931.

A still further and a most important object of this invention is to takeadvantage of and employ the large quantity of water present in peat ormuck to good and useful purposes in an economical and eflicient mannerat a minimum cost, in the natural or native state of the material, thepresence of such quantity of water being heretofore held to be uselessand detrimental in the former processes for the utilizing of muck orpeat.

In carrying this invention into operation the preferred method ispreferably carried out in substantially the following manner.

The first step in the method is preferably the introduction or mixing ofthe iron, pyrophoric iron, aluminum nitride, and titanium nitride withthe peat or muck together with a small quantity of sodium nitrate whichmay be accomplished, in the best, cheapest and simplest suitablemanner.-

The muck or peat is employed in this improved method on account of itsavailability and vast quantities, the great water holding and retainingproperties thereof as well as the presence of the humus compounds, or-

ment there be any sulfite or sulfide compounds present thetransformation of these compounds into sulfates is of vital importancein order to feed the crops.

The compound may be then dried and ground in any suitable manner afterwhich it is then ready for use.

This may be accomplished preferably as follows. The above resultantproduct containing the proper moisture content which is approximatelyone-half or two-thirds of the amount it will hold without noticeabledripping or draining, and at the increased temperature generated by thechemical reactions in the mass, preferably a temperature of from 95 to105 F., is deposited in a suitable bin or receptacle, reasonablycompacted, the bottom of the bin having means for admitting air in orderto furnish the required aeration or oxygen. The moisture should notexceed two-thirds saturation, and the mixture should be compacted, andthen allowed to stand usually from one to four Weeks, but the period maybe extended without harmful results. ing material has been used, a smallamount of limestone or pulverized phosphate rock may be added, but thisis not essential unless there is an excess of acid present, or a smallamount of the pyrophoric iron may be added.

This improved method or process may be briefly stated to be as follows.

Dredge, shovel or pump the peat from the bog, place in a suitablecontainer, and preferably add some sodium nitrate and the aluminumnitride. The proportions or quan tities of sodium nitrate and aluminumnitride vary somewhat with the quality and condition of the muck or peatused; however, on a pile dry basis I prefer to use 2000 pounds of muckor peat, 1000 pounds aluminum nitride and 100 pounds of sodium nitrate.

In very cold sections or weather, means should be provided to warm theair to furnish the nitrogen and oxygen required. In

'hot dry summer weather merely by blowing air through is sufiicient. Thefinished product may be removed from the bin in any suitable manner suchas with a steam shovel, then preferably properlv dried and pulverized.

The sulphur residuum, if any, left in the product is not harmful tovegetation, but is helpful to many soils inasmuch as there is aninsufliciency thereof, owing to'the action of humus or vegetable matterundergoing changes or combinations of a chemical and physical nature inthe ,soil.

The phosphate rock enters into chemical combination with 'the'acidulated sulphur gases held in the mixture'and is made available foragricultural purposes.

In the present improved processor method the nitride of aluminumcompounds containing nitrogen when introduced is decomposed by thecombined action of the water and the If no potassium bear-' aciduloushumate compounds contained in the peat or muck.

The aluminum nitride and titanium compounds may be produced by means ofthe apparatus shown in my Patents Numbers 819,- 224; 883,110; 888,610;946,434; and 946,435, all of which apparatus have continued in practicalmanufacturing operation up to the present time.

A concrete example of carrying out this invention briefly stated is asfollows.

There is mixed with the muck or peat in its natural state the pyrophoriciron, apotassium fertilizer substance, aluminum nitride, calciumsulphate and a small quantity of nitrate of soda.

If desired phosphate rock-may also be added.

The mixture is then thoroughly digested with sulphur oxide gases, andthe mass is then allowed to stand or age for a period of at least tendays.

What is claimed as new is 1. A method for manufacturing a fertilizerfrom a material of the group consisting of peat and muck in theirnatural wet state which comprises adding to said material a potassiumfertilizer substance, sodium nitrate, CaSO phosphate rock, aluminumnitride and pyrophoric iron, digesting said mixture with sulphur oxidegases and ageing said mass for a period of at least ten days.

2. A method for manufacturing a fertilizer from a material of the groupconsisting of peat and muck in their natural wet state which comprisesadding to said material sodium nitrate, phosphate rock, aluminumnitride, digesting said mixture with sulphur oxide gases and ageing saidmass for a period of at least ten days.

3. A method for manufacturing a fertilizer from a material of the groupconsisting of peat and muck in their natural wet state which comprisesadding to said material a potassium fertilizer substance, sodiumnitrate, CaSO4, phosphate rock, aluminum nitride, digesting said mixturewith sulphur oxide gases and ageing said mass for a period of at leastten days.

4. A method for manufacturing a fertilizer from a material of the groupconsisting of peat and muck in their natural wet state which comprisesadding to said material sodium nitrate, CaSO ,-phosphate' rock, aluminumnitride and pyrophoric iron, digesting said mixture with sulphur oxidegases and ageing said mass for a days. Y

5. A method for manufacturing a fertilizer from a material of the groupconsisting of period of at least ten peat and muck in theirnatural wetstate which comprises adding to said material a potassium fertilizersubstance, CaSO phosf phate rock, aluminum nitride and pyrophoric III.ito

March, A. D. 1927.

iron, digesting said mixture with sulphur oxide gases and ageing saidmass for a period of at least ten days.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, onthis 18th day of HERMAN L. HARTEN STEIN.

